Perspectives

I haven't written in a while, but I've pondered quiet a bit! I've had some great conversations about perspective, judgements, etc. It seems as though the more I study different topics the more I see everything is very closely connected.

These last few weeks the topic of perspective has come up in my life a lot. It first started with my daughter Emilyn. When we are out on adventures (running with her in the stroller) I used to point things out "tree, car, van, baby, dog, etc." Now she does the same to me but she seems to have a very different perspective of the world. She points out a dog or a duck ect. and I look for it and keep looking and eventually find an obscure picture of a dog some where. She sees the smallest details in the world that I pass by. It makes me wonder what else we gloss over in our lives.

We got some fingernail polish on one of our adventures! She loves her pink toes!

Watching family videos... her favorite past time.

I helped out at girls camp a couple weeks ago. This is a week long camp my church puts on for the uplifting and edification of 12-18 year old young women. It is amazing to see these brilliant and steadfast Young Woman who are such an example to me. While I was there I was obviously continuously training. I had a couple people ask me/tell me to take a nap during our "free time." In my sleep deprived state, (there were two days I worked out longer than I slept at night) people telling me to forget about working out because I "chose" to really aggravated me.

Some of the time scheduling of girls camp. 

Again, this is all about perspective. I have in fact chosen to be a professional athlete, with that comes some mandatory things, like putting my time in swimming, biking, and running. As a pro triathlete I don't really have PTO days to take during a full week of girls camp. The choice was to be a professional athlete not whether or not I was going to work out that week. In my opinion I had as much of a "choice" to go bike as Scott has to go to work. Yes, the choice is there, but there would be some not so good ramifications if he didn't go in. I think that that week was a turning point in how I view my life as a pro triathlete. I have always viewed it as just something fun, which it still is, but I don't think I'll ever see the potential until I have the complete perspective that my days on the bike, running, or swimming, aren't a choice, the choice happened before today.

Daddy daughter date while I was gone.

One more little story. At girls camp I had someone ask me about the extremeness of the Ironman training I do. They mentioned a recent story that has come out about an ultra runner who's heart was just as bad as a sedentary person. I haven't read the complete story but believe that as my church teaches, "moderation in all things." I know many people would not consider what I do moderate exercise, but I believe that moderation is different for everyone. A moderate meal to a 250 lb active male is not the same moderate meal to me obviously. I have a long athletic history so my body is used to doing a lot more than someone who has no athletic history.

I will end with a little positive note. I am sure that everyone has had an experience where they buy a car and then notice that there seem to be a lot more of those cars on the road. The amount of Honda Fits or any other car has not changed from yesterday to today, but perspective has changed. Sometimes we feel as though we don't have control over our lives, and no matter if we do or not, we do have control over what we notice. Let us all "buy" happiness, joy, good workouts, laughs, or smiles so we will notice them more even in the short little moments they happen.

Updates

I haven't written in a while! It's been 4 weeks since Ironman Texas and I took a full week off then have been back to base training. My coach and I discussed various scenarios and finally decided on doing Ironman Malaysia in November. There are two 70.3's I'm looking at but they are both over seas and would love to do a closer one on a Saturday even if it's not a pro race. I'll keep my eyes out but there usually aren't many choices. I'm also still toying the idea with doing Ironman Mallorca (Spain), but I think I want to just do one ironman in the fall. Mallorca also has a big mountain in the middle of it. I wouldn't be too concerned but I don't have the best bike handling skills (big down hill)and would rather play to my strengths.

Eating our homemade sushi with our awesome chopsticks from Meredith from Taiwan.

We've started a new tradition of going to the library on Wednesdays for a dancing and singing program and picking out new books!

OH NO! I lost it!

Reading our awesome books together on the floor.

Pretending to be asleep

EMI with her necklace from Aunt Meredith 

My awesome Photography skills! With Allison!

Coscoing with the best cart full of girls EVER!

Someone is a cereal fan! (it's a special treat)

The standard rabbit hash picture!

Ironman Texas

Summary:

• 7 pros had a DNF that's 28%
• Swim 59:48 (goal 58)
• Bike 5:02:21 (goal 5:10)
• Run 3:39:42 (goal 3:00)
• So So So hot!

Emi and I arrived in Houston on Tuesday and met my mom who flew in from Utah and my home stay and one of her sons. Thanks to Container and Packaging Supply for the help getting there! After a sad goodbye to Emi, Amie and Callen and I went off to their house. It was so much fun to stay with a family with kids and to have that humor and fun love to take your mind off any stress.

Emi loves climbing on the seats and trying to say "Hi" to the people all around us.

Wednesday I went and checked in and went around the expo. I talked with the owner of Base Salt and was sold on the idea of this newer electrolyte. I also got to meet one of my Trigger Point teammates Gloria Summers! I dropped my bike off at Race Day Wheels to get my 404/808 Zipp rentals put on my bike. Thanks so much for that awesome combo!

She invented a new game where she twirls and wraps her blanket around her.

Thursday was my Pro race briefing. I always feel like the outsider in this “cool” kids club. Many of the pros stay after the race and chat but I really don’t know anyone so I just sulk away with my tail between my legs. One day I’ll be part of the “cool” kids club.

On my ride out on awesome Texas roads!

Friday I did the practice swim at the lake and Meredith went and picked Scott up at the airport. I keep making him come earlier and earlier to my races since he slept in past his alarm for one race and the other race a huge snow storm came through and made it so he had to jump on an earlier flight to get out of Cincinnati before it came through. He just worked from “home” that day. Friday night we played some board games and had some awesome laughs with Apples to Apples. I ended up asleep around 8:30.

Emi loved being at Nana and Papi's house. 

Saturday morning I didn’t want any risk of eating my breakfast too late so I woke up at 4:00am and had my yummy pancakes with “butter.” I woke Scott up with some snuggles and then we were off getting everything in the car packed up. They were nice and let us check our bike in on race day as well as our gear bags. I double/triple checked my brakes and pumped my tires to 105-110. I left my shoes on my bike for the first time! I dropped my gear bags off and met up with Coach Meredith. She went above and beyond coaching responsibilities and went and bought rubber bands to put on my shoes/bike to keep my shoes upright for ease and throw away water bottles. I didn’t end up using either one of them but I was nice to know I had them just in case for back up. She also brought her bike down so I could ride it to the swim start instead of walking there (1 mile). THANKS!!!!

She loves the pool and water however she can play.

Ran into Mike when I was going for my practice swim on Friday morning. Loving our Blueseventy speed suits!

Bike all tuned up ready to go! Thanks Reser Bicycle Outfitters!

Thanks to my parents for watching Emi!

I'll never get over the awesome feeling it is to walk up to my spot in transition and to represent this amazing country!

I have "P" on my leg! So punny!

Swim start from the bridge. I wore my mirrored goggles which I later regretted. 

More boring stuff happened and then I got my speed suit on and was saying my goodbyes! The guys started 5 minutes before us and then we got into warm up. There were several cameras and video cameras in our faces. It’s always so fun to have those crazy “this is for real” moments. We lined up and they called out 1 minute to go and then 30 seconds to go. There is a “line” between a buoy and a dock that we are supposed to stay behind but that never seems to happen. After they said 30 seconds to go everyone just keeps inching forward more and more. It was the most I’ve ever seen them let us “inch.” Usually they have paddle boarders or kayakers that sit in front to make it so we can’t go forward. Then the cannon went off and we were off. I’ve had many mix ups the last few races with my Garmin so I even took a second to make sure it started before I started swimming like crazy.

Scott and Meredith found me swimming when I entered the canal. I loved seeing them the whole last 1/3 of the swim. 

I was with a good group and felt like I was swimming hard but it was manageable. Then I spotted and saw that I had swum to the left. I tried for a second to get back on their feet but they were gone. I was swimming hard to stay on the feet so it was just too hard to get back on them. I swam by myself for most of the rest of the way down the lake (1/3 of the swim). I then saw to my left a group of 2-3 swimmers. I just went over there and jumped in the back of the swim train. Now this pace felt really easy and I was worried about the pace but thought it was better to have the draft than try to go it alone so I just sat with my happy little pace behind someone’s feet. We entered the canal (last 1/3 of the swim) and after a little I saw Scott and Meredith. It was so awesome to see them along the canal and they kept running and walking and cheering me on. I kept trying to make sure I had a big grin on my face when I looked their way to breath. I stumbled on the last step getting out of the swim but ended up recovering instead of face planting like I thought I was going to. I was hoping for a 58 swim and ended up with still a sub hour and only 6:30 back from the leaders.

I kept giving them a big smile when I turned and breathed to their side. 

I'm the last one in that nice long draft line. 

I was shocked when I was only 6:30 back from the leaders and was excited to hear that! Transition wasn’t as awesome as it was in New Zealand but the volunteers were still great. I grabbed my bike and dunked my feet in the baby pool of water they had to clean them off and was off on my bike. I got my shoes on with out a problem and just started focusing on my HR. I tend to be super excited off the swim and bike with a slightly higher HR. I calmed myself down pretty fast and nailed it down to a HR of 153-158. I did see 140’s twice but those were both either going down a hill or because of passing/staying draft legal. Around mile 10 I was looking down and staying aero when I decided to glance up the road and saw a cop waving traffic across an intersection I was about to cross! I yelled up and fortunately he was able to stop the massive van that was about to pummel me and end my race and break my body. I was feeling good and just focused on nutrition and hydration. There was another incident at mile 25ish. We were on a 2-lane road and a car had pulled all the way to the right and wanted to make a U-turn. I couldn’t safely pass on the right so I went to the left. The car decided that moment was a great moment to start executing the U-turn and would have ended my race except for divine intervention. I saw the trajectory of the car and my bike and I have no idea how it didn’t end up with a crash.

Scott got a couple good shots of me on the bike.

Around mile 40 my back started really killing me and it made me worry that it already hurt less than half way through! I've been working on getting it under control with both my PT Beyond Exercise and Chiropractor TJ Lonergan at Impact Health and Wellness. I just told myself to stop over thinking and concentrating on what was wrong and to concentrate on what was right. John Book told me in a message to “keep your head down and don’t think too much.” I think that’s part of the break through on the bike I had… I didn’t think too much. Another reason is because I finally took the advice of Bryan and didn’t have anyone tell me what place I was in out of the water or anywhere on the bike. I focused completely on my race on the bike. I knew I was going to be able to see Emi and my parents around mile 50-55. I had already seen Scott and was just so excited to be able to see Emi too! Seeing them made me refocus and forget about my back for a little bit. I got to see them a few more time before my parents headed back to the house for Emi to be able to nap. This race is the first race that I planned to get special needs. This race is the first race that the volunteers did not get my bag to me. I called out my number and said that I wanted my bag. I came up on the bags and saw a guy in the middle holding a bag out. I was confused since his position wasn’t close to where my bag was but he was holding a bag out so I thought it was for me. Well just as I went to get it he grabbed it away and I saw a 1XXX on it. Great… there goes nutrition. I do jelly beans at the end of the bike and I didn’t have them with me now. A little before half way through I had an official start following me and I got a personal back wheel baby sitter the REST of the bike course. I’m used to the officials looping around and watching several people but I guess today I got my own personal official so all will know I was completely legal that whole ride! I looked down at my watch at half way and saw that my split would put me at faster than a 5hr bike! CRAZY! I knew there was some strong wind in many directions so I figured it would be not as fun on the way back. I said a little prayer that the front moving through would make the wind change direction so we would have a tail wind on the way home or at least not a strong head wind. Well, I never felt like the wind was unbearable and know that it was answer to prayers. I felt like I was just cutting through it so fast. Hearing Scott and Meredith cheer I knew I was doing well and I kept having a smile on my face.

So Aero :)

I came up to two women pros and passed one and then came up to a legal distance to the other. I saw the number and blinked a couple times and thought, “wow that’s 40, Kelly Williamson, she WON last year! I am on the back of Kelly Williamson, she must be having a bad day, there’s NO WAY I’m riding with her!” I stayed close to her the rest of the bike. My back was starting to hurt a lot a lot more the last 15-20 miles and I was looking forward to ditching my bike. I also had to pee really badly but that blasted official was still with us! In New Zealand they told us that public urination was a penalty so I didn’t want to appear to pee on my bike incase that was a penalty. I looked back and tried to get the attention of the official but didn’t. I finally decided to use some water and pretend to squirt it on me while I went so I would look like I was just pouring water on me. So I wasted some precious water, which I didn’t realize was going to be such a problem. The final aid station I didn’t get the water I needed/wanted. I dropped two water bottles and was so frustrated that I wasn’t going to have any more water. There were definitely fewer spectators along the course this year as a pro than last year as an age grouper. I’m sure it was because I was coming in a lot earlier than I did last time I raced. I wasn’t sure of the course exactly so the dismount snuck up on me. I got my feet out of my shoes in time and slammed on my brakes right at the dismount bike line.

They had a slide show of pictures of all the pros and I loved this one they had of me.

Off to T2! I went into the tent and dumped my gear bag on the floor. I didn’t bike with socks on for the first time so I had to get my socks, shoes etc. on. I was leaving the tent and heard a volunteer say “wow, she was the calmest one who has come through!” Then I had to stop since I realized my shoes were still not tied and as I bend down to tie them I saw my hat and Sword (electrolyte drink) on the floor. I asked them for them and then started running off. I made sure to stop at the sun screeners for a little rub down which they did an awesome job of.

The run… This is usually my strong suit, it’s usually what I am the best at by far… There’s always a first. Thanks to Buckeye Running Company for the new Saucony Kinvaras to race in. My first mile was right under 7min pace. I told myself I could go 7 min pace for the first mile or two and then pick it up from there. Well, I did that but then slowed down from there… a lot. I felt awful from not being hydrated enough on the bike and not having enough calories on the bike as well. I started to tell myself that I was last or second to last in the pro field and I might as well just run walk the rest of the race. There was no point in finishing that fast at all. I could write a novel on all the negative thoughts that went through my head during that run. I didn't realize that I actually wasn't doing as horribly as I thought. My Garmin kept cutting in and out and I had no idea of the total race time since my Garmin had messed that up as well. I carry a water bottle on the run and make more electrolyte drink as I go. I couldn't get the top off the water bottle at all so I went without drinking much the whole run. Looking back I should have thought to stop and ask a volunteer to open the bottle. I had to use the bathroom SO bad the last 3 miles so pulled over and used the port-a-potty, first time for that to happen!

Changed to Base Salt for IMTX. I accidentally washed it but found out their container is water proof so I still had my salt. Also, best idea ever to change to this electrolyte replacement. 

Thanks so much to EVERYONE who got me to this starting line! This has been such a learning experience! Thanks to my whole Cincinnati crew! Thank you Tiffany for the wonderful send off party! It was so fun! Thanks to Rich Adams for helping with my speedplay shoes! Thanks to Bryan for all the good talks/advice and rides! Thanks so much to Cole and Scott for the fun rides together! Thanks to Allison for the amazing friendship and best training partner EVER :)! Thanks to Meredith for the amazing coaching and best sherpaing- getting everything I needed the night before, doing the last minute bike maintenance on my bike and cheering so loud she lost her voice! Last and never least thanks to Scott, best most patient husband EVER! Thanks for all the times you've helped me get my training in and what not!

We flew home pretty late on Sunday night and Emi started getting a little crazy and spun laying down on the floor.

Learning:

• I think I want to try butter and pasta next time instead of tomato sauce. The tomato sauce gives me a little heart burn/upset stomach that could be avoided with butter.
• Make sure when I swim to only site every 12 strokes (thanks coach). I tend to be more concerned about staying right on someone’s feet when I swim with people and so I site way too often making the swim far harder than it needs to be. 
• Shut my brain off! Have something to focus on for the whole ride/run/swim. IE site ever 12 strokes. On the bike I focused on my HR 155 I’m staying alive. Sometimes I would count my peddle stokes and eat a jelly bean every X strokes. I was supposed to focus on 6:52 that’s all I got to do for the run. Once it wasn’t panning out and I was so hot etc., I focused on how bad my pace was. I think I need to have a back up thing to focus on in case one isn’t going well so I don’t get too negative. 
• Even if you aren’t planning on using race nutrition make sure you know what your options are on the course especially if you have dietary restrictions.
• The difference between a really low, low during an ironman and just a “I’m not feeling good time,” is what you are focused on. Are you focused on the things going right in the race or are you focused on all the things that hurt and are not going right.
• I told my support crew to not tell me the place I was in ever during the race until the last 10K. Well, I learned that I should know what my place is after the bike so I don't get so negative and I know how many people to run down to get into top X place. I can still run my own race but I think it would help on the mental aspect of my race. 

Anger is the Seed for War, Forgiveness is the Seed for Peace

We were able to go listen to a Holocaust Survivor speak on Monday. We went as our Family Home Evening activity (every Monday night we do a family night with an activity, treat, and spiritual message).

Eva at Auschwitz 2014

Eva Kor is a twin who was a survivor from Auschwitz and the angel of death experiments. She told her story survival and the horrible things that happened to them. In the end she talked about 3 life lessons she wanted to share.

1. Never give up on yourself or your dreams. She said that when they first entered the barracks her first image in her mind was of her and her sister walking out of the camp together, alive. The power of the human brain is amazing. If we can envision the goals we have in life and the successes that we want to make happen, we can live them out in our life.

Both Eva and her sister, Miriam walking at Auschwitz hand in hand, right before being set free

2. Everyone has prejudices, we need to know them and understand them. She talked about the 5 reasons she thought Hitler rose to power and the Holocaust happened. She also talked about her prejudices of people who dress like slobs etc. She said the world would be a much better place if every child grew up with a loving mother and father. I think we need to just keep the fact that we are all children of God in our minds so we will treat everyone that way.

The twins at age 9 just before they were put in the concentration camp.

3. Forgiveness... This woman is amazing to be able to forgive these people who literally ripped her away from her mom, dad, and older sister on the sorting platform. She never saw them again. She was demoralized and brought to near death, yet she has forgiven all her perpetrators.

The gates of Auschwitz, "work will set you free."

She told a story about going to visit one of the "angel of death's" partners in Germany. She said she wanted to bring him a gift and a card so she went to the Hallmark store. She spent hours reading all the cards and couldn't find one that would fit the occasion. One of the workers came up to her and asked if she could help her find the right car. Eva said, "No, I don't think so." Eva decided that the best gift she could give him would be a note of forgiveness. She then also decided to write "the angel of death," a letter of forgiveness. She read it out loud and forgave him on the other side of the grave. She said "forgiveness is the best revenge because then the perpetrators don't have any power over you."

People ask her if the doctors etc were put on trial. She said that she hates that question and that "if we paid more attention to healing the victims than punishing the perpetrators, than it would be much better for the victims. She went back to Germany and to Auschwitz with 300 other survivors and most of them were still bitter and unforgiving and had passed that sentiment to their children.

The twins

There was so much to be learned from this amazing example of forgiveness. She walked out alive with her sister, but after 3 kids her sister passed away from complications from the experiments preformed on them at Auschwitz.

Endure to the End...

I'm going to have to first explain a couple of simple thing about my church before I can dive into the real topic. I am in charge of helping the Young Women in my church do the personal enrichment program that is called personal progress. It is a program that the church has developed to help the young women become closer to God and also learn and develop life skills that everyone needs. 

I plan and do an activity with them the first Tuesday of the month. They also work on the program on their own and with their families. This last activity we had we read a lot of scriptures about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I have read many scriptures about the atonement, but this time was struck at all the sacrifices that Jesus and God both went through to be able to make it so we could live this life here on earth and return to live with them after we die or in other words that are used in my church a lot "endure to the end."

Now here is where the triathlon bit comes in :). I think that we can all draw analogies to things we experience in our lives the most, for me one of those things happens to be Ironman training and racing. When Jesus was on the earth he also talked in parables that were likened to the people of that day. 

So, in an ironman and sometimes in training, there comes a point where you want to throw up your arms and quit. You just want to say "I'm done! I can't go any more! I'm just going to sit on this curb and have someone pick me up!" It's at this point in the race that I remember all the sacrifices that Scott has made for me to be able to do this crazy dream. I think of all the friends and family cheering for me. When I have that in my mind, there is no way I can slow down, give up, or sit on the curb. I have to endure to the end because of all that has been given to me!

I think we should think the same thing about life. We all face struggles and trials, but what if we thought about all the people cheering us on from above and all the sacrifices that Christ and Heavenly Father have gone through to make it possible to "endure to the end." I know life is easier when we think about our heavenly "cheer squad." We will not be able to throw up our hands when we face the hardest trials in our lives, because Christ has done so much more. 

So here's to the racing season and to life... endure it well!

IM 70.3 Oceanside

Oceanside 70.3

The brief overview:

• First time racing so close to a full ironman (3 weeks after). I've always taken 2 weeks off after an ironman.
• Biggest and deepest pro field (at least what I was told)
• Swim: 29:43 (goal: 28 or under 30)
• Bike: 2:34:29 (goal: 2:25)
• Run: 1:27:36 (goal: 1:25)
• Place: 19th 

Thanks to Reser Bicycle Outfitters I got the hook up with this awesome Lazer helmet before I left for Oceanside!

This is Scott sporting the helmet in his most "aero" position.

Unfortunately, I didn't get my custom kit in time for Oceanside, so I made a makeshift kit to use. 

The back with Reser on my shoulders and Beyond Exercise on my back.

CPS on each side of my legs

I left on Wednesday to California and was picked up in the afternoon by my AWESOME homestay Amy! We did a quick trip to the grocery and some dinner (thanks for the delicious meal!). When we got to the house my jaw dropped to the floor! I got to live in paradise for the long weekend! Orange grove in the font with a porch swing out front with a gorgeous view and a pool out back with pretty flowers and the inside was decorated like a palace. I wish I could have stayed longer!

But then I would have missed these guys!

Even if I could facetime! 

Thursday we went to early morning swim where I did a quick 30 min swim with some pick ups and then headed home and ran around all the other gorgeous houses with amazing yards. We went and checked in on Thursday as well so I could go get my bike and also talk with Race Day Wheels. I was able to get a Zipp 404/808 combination and a sponsorship with them! They are a company who you can rent race wheels from at certain races around and if they aren't at the race you are going to, they will ship them to you!

Sunny California! 

Friday was a nice bike ride and then some relaxing. We also dropped our bikes off in transition since they recommended we do that. It was also the pro meeting which was in a stuffy room with lots of sweaty athletes, not the most pleasant experience. 

Scott got in late that night (around 11:30). I was already asleep but happened to make a bathroom break as he walked into the room he was going to sleep in. I almost had a heart attack when I saw him since I wasn't expecting to see anyone! 

In transition right before I started.

Race morning we got all packed up and left and about 8 minutes down the road I realized my garmin was dead! So we turned around and went back to get the charger so I could charge it while we drove to the race. Oh typical me! Something always has to go wrong at a race or it wouldn't be right. We got to transition with PLENTY of time. Nothing like my last 70.3 where Allison and I had less than 10 minutes to set up. 

While I was setting up I realized I had also forgotten SOCKS! Homestay to the rescue!! She was also doing the race and had 2 extra pairs of socks, one day I'll get everything down right! I finished setting up my transition area (you set everything out next to your bike that you need to transition from swim to bike and bike to run. 

My awesome BlueSeventy gear!

The water that morning was VERY warm (67) compared to what it usually is (under 60). They played the national anthem which I missed hearing when I did New Zealand. I love starting our races with that reminder of all the people who have made all this possible!

It was a deep water start but they didn't let us get in till about 10 minutes before our start time. It was super foggy and I had worn my mirrored (darker tinted) goggles because I heard the sun was awful on the way back in. The start was a lot bigger than New Zealand but still 35 people on that line was not too bad. I picked a spot in the middle so I wouldn't get squished on the inside but that I wouldn't have to swim too much further.

We were off! This time I actually started my Garmin, but I only had 28% battery life! The first 1/4 wasn't bad I stayed with the front group. I lost my feet though so I went looking for some more. I realized there was a long draft line to the left of me hugging the buoy line so I went and joined. When we turned the fog was so thick that we couldn't see the next buoy. People got confused and started swimming in wrong directions and at this point the waves had picked up as well.

Made it out of the swim! Not the time I wanted but I never have swum under 30 minutes so I'll take it! Loved my BlueSeventy Helix again! It's so fast to swim in and also designed for a fast transition. 

Onto the bike... I was reading two Navy seal books at the time (Lone Survivor and American Sniper) and the course was mostly on Camp Pendelton. Camp Pendleton is a Marines base and is also where they do the sniper training talked about in the books. It was neat to see the different land marks from the books. 

It was still really foggy and I kept taking my glasses off and putting them back on. I was passed by one girl and passed 3 girls near the beginning but then I was pretty much on my own. I kept hearing something rub occasionally but couldn't figure out what it was. (Just figured out it was my wheel rubbing on the top of my brakes). My shifting was also off. Going up hills I would shift into an easier gear and then on the way down it would take at least 5 minutes of trying to get my chain in a harder gear. It wasn't the end of the world, but made it so I couldn't push it down the hills as well. Everyone always has things that go wrong in their race. Even when you win you always have things that could have gone better so I don't use this as an excuse but rather a learning opportunity. After occasions of my brakes rubbing my tires I double check them before the race. This time my brakes were too open so the top of them was rubbing, I know to check this as well now. I have also learned that I need to shift through all the gears on my bike before checking it in. Eventually I'll get a system down as I race more I will learn and grow more. 

In T2 (Bike to run). I wasn't so happy with my bike ride so I was sad even though I am smiling in this picture.

I am always happy to get off my bike and get running. My hip and leg wasn't 100% still from New Zealand but was doing SO much better so I wasn't as scared to run on it. I had volunteers yelling at me to do things as I left transition and I dropped my bottle with Sword in it and it all spilled out. I was upset but nothing I could do! 

The race was a 2 loop course which I enjoy. I feel like you can break the race up a little more when it's in loops. At the end of the first loop I caught a guy and we started running together for a little. Another guy joined us and then me and him went off a little faster. It was so nice to have some one to run with for the majority of the second lap. We caught 3-4 girls so I was happy to have at least done that. My Garmin died about 4-5 miles into the run so I didn't have any idea of time etc. It was good to just run and race though. I went in for the finish and my running buddy had to go do his second lap. It is seriously so amazing the class that most of the guy age groupers have. They always made sure that I had "first pick" when we went through aid stations and that I had the shortest route on turns etc. 

Scott saw me at the finish and we went and got food and my bike taken care of and went back to my home stay's house after cheering some others on. 

We stupidly took a red eye flight that night back with 3 legs! We didn't really sleep on the plane and got back around 9am. I took an awesome nap and this cute little one woke me up and came and snuggled for a while!

A very special thanks goes to our neighbors Barney and Emily who watched Emi while we were in California!

Another special thanks to my homestay Amy! It was so good to meet you and hope we run into each other again! Good luck with the rest of your season!

Also, a thanks to my coach Meredith Gardner! Thanks to my Sherpa for life, Scott! And of course thanks to my sponsors who have helped me get to my races with the right gear!

Best snuggles ever!

We got to die eggs as a family!

She asks to get up on my aero bars with me so she can pretend to bike and have the fan in her face.

Easter dress!

She LOVED finding eggs on easter afternoon.

Monday long run after easter= restock my nutrition! (Starburst jelly beans)

Also, my church published two easter videos that were AMAZING! Scott and I actually just got around to watching them and I was so inspired by them. 

You can watch them here and here.